The First Virgin Coconut Oil Sold in America!

When I first read about the wonderful benefits of coconut oil, I asked my wife, who grew up on a coconut plantation in the Philippines, if there was a more natural way to extract the oil from the coconut, so that we didn’t have to buy the refined coconut oils found in all the stores in the Philippines.

She said there was a method the older generation used to extract the oil by grating the fresh coconut, extracting the coconut milk, and then letting the coconut milk stand in a covered container for about 24 hours. After about 24 hours, the oil naturally separates from the water producing a crystal clear oil that retains the full scent and taste of coconuts. The oil is then scooped out and heated for a short time to remove all the remaining moisture.

So we started making our coconut oil that way and using it for our cooking needs with our three children. We couldn’t believe how wonderful it tasted, and how great we felt.

We had been living on Mt. Banahaw in the Philippines for almost two years by that time, and in the year 2000 telephone service was provided to our rural farming community, allowing me to put up a website about our Philippine Herbs. I decided to also put our Virgin Coconut Oil up on the website, not really expecting people to order it because it was a bit expensive since we had to hire people to make the oil, and shipping cost a lot because of the weight. We were so surprised when people started ordering, and then re-ordering it because they felt so great after using it! They told us there was no other coconut oil like it on the market.

Before long we had businesses contacting us asking how to order it in bulk. So we discussed how we could mass produce this kind of oil, and almost abandoned the product because we didn’t want to lose the traditional way of making it.

In the end, we decided to just keep making it the same way, by having others in our coconut community also make the oil the traditional way. Many of our producers are in areas so remote, that if they did not use their coconuts to produce Virgin Coconut oil for us, no one would buy their coconuts because it would cost too much to transport them to manufacturing plants. In these areas, the coconuts generally just fell to the ground unused until we started training people to make our Virgin Coconut Oil.

We were the first ones to export Virgin Coconut Oil from the Philippines to the US market. The success overwhelmed us.

Today, more than 15 years later, there are other companies now selling coconut oil again in the US, most of them mass-produced by machines.

But we are committed to time-honored traditional practices that have produced healthy coconut oil for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Our producers have learned a lot of things over the years, since most of them have been producing this oil for over 15 years now. They have learned how to pick out the best coconuts from each harvest that produce the best quality oil. Independent laboratory analysis shows this to be one of the highest quality coconut oils on the market, having the highest levels of antioxidants using a wet-milling process.

This enhanced Virgin Coconut Oil is now in the US market under the Tropical Traditions Gold Label brand. It meets our strictest standards to earn this designation, and is also now part of our Glyphosate-tested program. Today when you buy Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, you are buying the highest quality coconut oil we have to offer, and it is still made by hand and benefiting families in the rural areas of the Philippines where the coconuts grow.

Characteristics of Our Gold Label® Virgin Coconut Oil

This Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is a truly unrefined coconut oil. This coconut oil is made on Mt. Banahaw and surrounding areas from coconuts.

Coconuts are used fresh (within 24-48 hours of harvest) from small family farms on Mt. Banahaw and other rural places in Quezon Province, the coconut capital of the Philippines. Only the highest quality coconuts are hand-picked from each harvest.

The volcanic soil of Mt. Banahaw makes these coconuts some of the most nutritionally rich coconuts in the world! Testing done in independent laboratories on coconut oil antioxidants reveals higher levels of phenolic antioxidants than other coconut oils. The fresh coconut meat is shredded and then the water from inside the coconuts is added to make coconut milk (wet-milled). The coconut milk is then allowed to sit for about half a day, while the oil naturally separates from the heavier water. The oil is then heated for a short time and filtered from the curds (coconut solids). No chemicals are used, and this oil contains no trans fatty acids.

We do NOT mass produce this oil. It is made by families who are coconut farmers using old-fashioned traditional methods that have been used in the Philippines for hundreds of years. The families who produce the oil are also trained according to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards and re-certified each year. This high-grade Virgin Coconut Oil has a long shelf life due to the high antioxidant properties. The Gold Label Standard is our highest standard for Virgin Coconut Oil. (Read more about how virgin coconut oils are made, and how they differ from refined coconut oils.)

Transporting coconuts far away from the pollution of any city or roads in the rural mountain areas of Mt. Banahaw in the Philippines, in preparation to make Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil.

How is This Coconut Oil Used?

Virgin Coconut Oil is a food, and is one of the best cooking oils you can use. It has been a staple cooking oil for thousands of years in tropical climates. As a cooking oil, its chemical structure is kept in tact and therefore is resistant to mutations of fatty acid chains even when used in higher cooking temperatures, unlike most vegetable oils. Research shows that the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil boosts the body’s metabolism, raises body temperatures, and helps provide greater energy which can lead to weight loss. More uses of coconut oil here. For hundreds of tasty recipes from people who use coconut oil, visit FreeCoconutRecipes.com.

Virgin Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, a nutrient that supports the body’s immune system. Lauric acid is also found in human mother’s milk. Dr. Mary Enig suggests the average adult include about 3.5 tablespoons of coconut oil per day in their diet to take in an equivalent amount of lauric acid that a nursing infant would receive from breast milk. Read more in our Virgin Coconut Oil FAQ.

Tropical Traditions is America’s favorite brand of coconut oil!

My family uses a LOT of coconut oil for health reasons and Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil is hands-down the best we've tasted. We buy it by the gallon. Adelia - Newport, OR

I shop at Tropical Traditions on a regular basis. I have found their coconut oil to be the best I have ever used. The recipe collection is a great resource for me to try some new recipes. Kelly - Harrisonburg, VA

A few years back, I ordered my first bottle of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions. I have been a loyal customer ever since! I have never tasted such a pure, rich flavored Coconut Oil in my life. This oil is amazing! I have given many samples to my friends and family, and they are hooked as well! THANK YOU Tropical Traditions for supplying such a fantastic product at an amazing price! You have a customer for LIFE! Steven - Pepperell, MA

Tropical Traditions takes its product line to a whole new level and is the benchmark for coconut oil. The product is just remarkable and it has truly made a difference in the quality of life of my family. The online ordering process is user-friendly and responsive. The shipping and product delivery is very good. I have already recommended Tropical Traditions to my friends and family. Great company. Lee - Madison, IN

I must state, I normally do not write reviews, however I chose to write a review for Tropical Traditions because of the quality of their products. In a consumer market where finding products that are produced with protecting the natural element is very difficult and some what unheard of, Tropical Traditions has been the only company I've seen or heard of that actually takes the time to produce products the way "Nature" intended. I consume on a daily basis Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, and as a Bodybuilder it is regularly in my diet all year round. The quality of their products and packaging is top shelf. Nicholas - Hamden, CT

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil is the only coconut oil I use and recommend because it’s the freshest, best tasting coconut oil I’ve found. I’ve compared it to others and it won my vote. I recommend it for cooking because it is much more stable than other vegetable oils; when it’s heated it won’t create toxic trans fatty acids. This is the oil I use to cook everything from eggs to veggie stir fries. Bottom line--my food always tastes great. Just ask my husband. Cherie Calbom, The Juice Lady, nutritionist and best-selling author of “Juicing for Life.”

We are so convinced that you will love this oil, that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on our 16 oz. trial size. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your trial size in the first 30 days, get a full refund - no questions asked! So try it today and start enjoying this wonderful oil!

(Pint size only)

Note: All orders are shipped from within the US. If you live in Canada, you can order from our Canadian distributor.